Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to plumbing equipment and more particularly to an apparatus for lifting and placing a water heater on a stand.
This invention eliminates the necessity of multiple manpower for moving such a water heater by a mechanical apparatus which grasps the water heater, lifts and easily moves it for installation in a elevated position by a single workman.
1. Field of the Invention
Local codes usually require water heaters, particularly those installed in garages or the like, have the base or bottom end of the heater elevated and supported on a stand at least 45.72 cm (18xe2x80x3) inches above the surface of the surrounding a generally horizontal floor. Since many of these water heaters are of considerable size, varying diametrically and longitudinally and generally cylindrical, when a 189 L (50 gal) or greater volume water heater must be elevated it requires more than one workman to lift the water heater into place.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a number of United States patents which lift and move cylindrical containers from one location to another for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,814 issued Jan. 10, 1995 to Posly for Water Bottle Lifting Mechanism. This patent discloses a mechanism which lifts a bottle of water from a lower upright position to an elevated position during which a cam mechanism rotates the water bottle from an upright position to an inverted water discharging position. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,154 issued Apr. 8, 1997 to Irons, Jr. et al. for Drum Transporter discloses a main frame mounted on wheels supporting a mast assembly extending horizontally from the main frame. An outer mast assembly includes a pair of legs which diverge from each other for straddling a pallet supporting a drum to be moved. A post extends upwardly from the main frame and includes a fixed guide post having an upward clamping mechanism for releasably engaging a drum chime to support the drum on a lower drum lifting support permitting the lifting mechanism to lift and move the drum from one location to another and minimize a tendency of the transporter to tip the drum during the handling movement thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,027 issued Jun. 16, 1992 to Tabayashi for Carrier For Containers and U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,474 issued Aug. 31, 1999 to Cummins et al. for Support For A Cylindrical Container are believed good examples of the further state-of-the-art.
These two patents generally disclose horizontal wheel supported base frames which support upright members and for lifting cylindrical containers from one place to another.
This invention is believed distinctive over the above named patents by providing a wheel supported lifting apparatus for moving an upright container by initially lifting and moving it to a position for installation where the container and apparatus may be tilted in a forward direction to insert the upper end of the lifted container into an overhead opening and position the depending end of the container on a stand elevated above a generally horizontal support surface.
A horizontally disposed U-shaped frame is wheel supported for movement across a substantially level supporting surface. A mast is pivotally connected at its depending end with the bight portion of the U-shaped frame for forward tilting movement of the mast about a horizontal axis. A lift frame assembly comprising upper and lower pairs of parallel arms straddling opposite sides of the mast, interconnected in vertically spaced relation by stringers, support upper and lower pairs of bearings respectively contacting forward and rearward sides of the mast for vertical movement of the lift frame assembly, relative to the mast. The arms project forwardly of the mast and respectively support an upper and lower pair of part circular members which cooperatively engage vertically spaced peripheral portions of respective end portions of the cylindrical member to be lifted and moved.
A conventional hand crank winch or hoist means removably connected with the rearward surface of the mast between the upper and lower parallel arms is connected by a flexible band with the lowermost pair of lift frame arms for raising and lowering the lift frame and water heater or work load, relative to the mast. A lifted cylindrical member is held in position adjacent the part circular support arms by a conventional ratchet tie down flexible band clamp means mounted on the lift frame assembly strap members and project forwardly of the mast.
A crank operated screw jack means, mounted on the bight portion of the base frame, is connected with a rearward base end extension of the mast for tilting the latter forwardly, including the lifted cylindrical member, in a forward tilting action of the lift frame means and mast to position the cylindrical member upward end portion in a ceiling opening when positioning the cylindrical container on an elevated stand. Rear wheels on the base permit movement of the apparatus in two wheel dolly fashion.
The principal object of this invention is to provide a lifting apparatus for lifting and moving a residential type water heater and placing the later in an elevated position relative to a generally horizontal supporting surface.